The Great Geomagnetic Storm 2024

Lake Bolac, Victoria 11th May 2024

This display will have me floating on air for weeks, maybe months, to come. The G5 solar storm associated with it was the largest since 1989 and seen all around the globe, and up to Cairns in FNQ. The aurora it produced was most definitely the largest I have seen, with naked eye red and green glowing sky and beams so bright.

It was a very emotional experience for me, I don't think I have ever been more in the present moment in my life. This experience is forever etched into my heart and soul. As those beams reached down to Earth it's like I was receiving a download of pure love from the universe. A FB friend, Jay Dean, described it perfectly a few weeks ago when he said it was like a factory reset for the soul

It was made more special by the fact that I was joined by my big sister, my niece, and my great niece. It was a first time seeing an aurora for two of the girls - what lucky ducks to have such an awesome display as their first!

Gallery (click to review)

Gallery (click to review)

Mumbannar, Victoria 11th May 2024

On the promise of seeing a monster CME arrive at earth after an extraordinary week of constant X flares, I took a trip over to South Australia in search of cloud free skies. Everything looked like it was going to plan at midnight on the 10th with perfect clear skies at Port Macdonnell. The monster kept us waiting and by the time it was on it's last approach to Earth I was totally clouded and fogged out. I hopped in the car and frantically drove inland, first to Mount Gambier which was smothered in fog and then back across the border to Vic. As I crossed into Victoria I could see naked eye beams poking over the top of dense bushland in the Glenelg area and had to frantically drive until the forest gave way to a clear view to the south. Miraculously such a field appeared, with less fog and cloud than all the rest of the region. The sky was glowing red to the naked eye, the field had recently been burnt and there was smoke hanging heavily in the air. None of the smoke, fog, approaching clouds, or the semi trailer trucks thundering pass could dent my joy at seeing this behemoth of a monster crashing into our planet. It was intense!

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Allsky Camera Footage - Mortlake 11/5

While I was away from home hunting the aurora, my all sky cameras were recording the action in Mortlake.

Camera one is a fisheye lens that captures 185 degree view of the sky directly overhead. Camera two is south facing with 120degree field of view, hoping to catch any auroras that may be seen over the top of my house.

Travelling to hunt for the aurora was a wise decision as cloud did obscure some of the display at home.

Chart created by Aurora Forecast, https://aurora.brendandaveyphotography.com/

Space Weather Metrics

Lake Bolac, Victoria 12th August 2024 -

3rd Largest Geomagnetic Storm of Solar Cycle 25

After last night's smaller than expected display, the hype was building that tonight was going to deliver...and this time the space weather metrics had been on fire all day. I headed out early in order to hopefully catch a twilight aurora. Not only did I capture colour as soon as the sun had set, but I continued to catch aurora displays throughout the night and into the next morning with the rising sun washing out the colours that were still dancing in the sky. This solar storm turned out to be the third largest for this solar cycle and it was a delight to see the sky glowing and pulsing with the naked eye. This was certainly a night to remember with a vivid green proton arc so strong it was visible to naked eye, picket fences, STEVE, an enormous SAR arc in the sky for most of the night and continuous bursts of auroral displays.

Gallery (click to review)

Gallery (click to review)

Lake Bolac, Victoria 11th August 2024

The sun had been bust this week firing off a volley of flares, with some reported to be Earth directed. Given the poor weather of late I was keen to spend the night out hoping to catch some colour action. I captured a small display occurring, but not size to match the hyope that had been circulating. I'm not complaining though, its always nice to see colour on our southern horizon!

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Mortlake, Victoria 5th August 2024

There was a big aurora happening but the whole of the South West was covered in clouds, so I had to be content with watching the posts coming in from those with clear skies in other parts of the country. I had a bad case of FOMO induced insomnia hearing the alerts pinging and seeing stats to die for. I was watching my allsky camera feeds and I could see stars overhead and maybe some aurora or clouds - I wasn't sure what they were??? So I jumped out of bed and drove to the edge of town at 2.30am, where I was treated to a really wide display 180 degrees from East to West, still a lot of clouds but lots of colour too!

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Lake Gillear, Victoria 30th July 2024

After such a long time between displays I was itching to get out and capture some colour. I have missed a few decent size displays since my last outing in May due to full cloud cover over Southern Australia, but tonight the clouds and fog held off just long enough to deliver a small but greatly appreciated display.

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The Sisters, Victoria 16th May 2024

Adjusting to the "normal" aurora for my area is going to take a little time after the amazing G5 solar storm induced aurora from the 11/5/24. Tonights display was the first step back to normality. It was a "Not to be scoffed at" aurora using pre 11/5 criteria, a little ho hum on the night.

The fog came in very thick and very early so it was one of the earliest aurora hunting nights ever for me! The moon was very bright and washed a lot of colour out. There was a visible green arc which appeared towards the end of my session however the low lying fog made it difficult to capture it.

Mortlake, Victoria 2nd May 2024

Such a vibrant and colourful display that went throughout the night. The fog was my enemy coming in very thick and spoiling the show at the salt lakes. I quickly packed up and went in search of clearer skies, which happened to be out at the windfarm...not quite as pituresque but the show continued on with a big intense burst of pink. I really love seeing the vivid green arc and we were treated to lashings of green in this show,

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Lake Bolac, Victoria 19 - 20 April 2024

I recorded from 9pm to 6am and there were displays throughout the night, but most were washed out by the moonlight. Luckily she saved the best till after the moon set with an amazing encore.

I was in the dark freezing cold night by the waters edge squealing and gasping at the absolutely awe inspiring scene unfolding before me. I had goose bumps and I just couldn't stop saying "wow...oh wow". The whole southern horizon had white beams that looked like they were shooting from the ground into outer space (beam me up Scotty), the sky was glowing red, it was like someone had turned the lights on upstairs... It was such a rush! Goosebumps now just thinking about it...wow!

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Rossbridge, Victoria 25/3/24

A great big monster of a solar storm arrived earlier that most predictions, sadly coinciding with the full moon. Unfortunately the alignment prevented the aurora from reaching its full potential, was negative bz upon arrival but quickly headed north and things went pear shaped from there. I had to drive an hour or so north to find some cloudless skies. Unfortunately the clouds caught up with me right before dawn, which also saw another strong display that other people caught. I can't imagine what this one would have looked like if we had consistent negative bz alignment!!! It turned out to be the fastest solar wind stream and the strongest magnetic field strength of this solar cycle.

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Mortlake, Victoria 21/3/24

Another night where I didn't think there would be much to see so went to bed only to see people posting photos around midnight, so I jumped in the car and headed about 5 mins out of town. The moon was very bright but it was not a problem as the aurora didnt arc up again until the moon had set.

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Lake Bolac, Victoria 4/3/24

My phone didn't stop pinging with constant aurora alerts, and so many amazing photos being posted from people who had clear skies...I decided that rather than lie in bed watching all the action other people were reporting and feeling miserable because we were covered in a thick layer of cloud that I'd go for a wee-hours drive...ended up at Lake Bolac and when I first arrived the cloud was the same as home - but the wind was ferocious. Waited a while and holes started to open up. I caught a brief part of what was a really active display that went on for most of the night.

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Humbug Point, Tasmania 14/2/24

I'd all but given up on a decent aurora display happening during this trip to Tassie, everything to this point had been very ordinary. I was lucky to catch this beauty a couple of day before heading home. I was so lucky that I happened. to wake up at about 3am and checked the apps to see others reporting beams in Tassie. Totally unprepared and half asleep I ran down to the beach to catch what I assume was the tail end of the display. The beams were short lived but diffuse colour remained on the horizon until sunrise.

Bruny Island, Tasmania 11/2/24

It's been slim pickings so far this year on the aurora hunt so even the slightest hint of a display had me out on the beach. Unfortunately the cloud rushed in an obscured whatever was happening behind. There were a few weak beams that lit up behind but nothing of consequence. slightest

Ranelagh, Tasmania 6/2/24

My first aurora for 2024. I can't believe I was so excited to capture this... It's a little ho hum and was over in a blink, but after a long wait between auroras it was just so good to see some colour in the night sky.

I was camped on the side of a big hill with amazing views down the valley. Not really the best location to catch an aurora but a great place for some peace & quiet & to soak in nature. The local flock of kookaburras visited every evening which was a treat...you can't help but laugh along with them but I fear they were probably laughing at me and my windy perch

2023 - 2022

Golden Beach, Vic 17 - 18/12/23

After the biggest X-flare since September 2017 modelling suggested that although it occurred on the western limb that the CME had an earth directed component. I spent the next 2 days trying to decide do I drive to NSW or West to Gippsland to try and miss the cloud cover that was blanketing most of the state. After my long drive to South Australia at the start of the month, I opted for Gippsland which was a shorter distance than a trip to NSW would have been. Still it was about a 900km return trip from home to Golden Beach. the space weather metrics were crazy strong but the actual event from my (location anyway) was frustratingly mild. A lot of diffuse colour, a lot of clouds blocking the lower part of the display that did occur. At about 3am I started to feel tired after a big drive during the day, and I nodded off to sleep on the beach. When I woke up my camera battery was dead and a quick look at the FB posts from my favourite aurora groups told me I had just slept through the best part of the display! Just a tad disappointing seeing I had driven to far to see it. In hindsight I wish I had ventured to NSW because all the photos posted from the north were much more impressive than the cloud filled ones in Victoria.

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Mortlake South Windfarm, Vic 15/12/23

I was starting to ignore alerts because there has been nothing to see through the thick cloud cover that has stretch across most of Victoria. This night happened to be clear overhead, so I decided to head out on the spur of the moment. Just went 10 mins out the road and set up quickly. The space weather metrics looked promising and kept me out in the unseasonal cold weather. Finally at about 1.30am I was rewarded with some aurora action that lasted about an hour. The clouds started to move in after that and gobble up my southern horizon. I was a little thankful for an excuse to head home and try to defrost!

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Renmark, South Australia 1/12/23

The cloud cover in most of South East Australia was looking like a total fluff out for the pending arrival of a large CME to earth, so I decided to take a chance by driving interstate. It turned out to be well worth the 1200km return trip I made to find clear skies!

I had goosebumps seeing the southern sky glowing red to the naked eye. I really understand now how First Nations People's traditional stories referred to auroras as "Fire in the Sky" & "Ashes" etc. It was something very special, Mother Nature is awesome, truely awesome! I feel so privileged to be able to witness this stuff.

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I was in Sea Lake for the Astronomical Society of Victoria's annual Astrofest. I was worried that I would miss an incoming CME event being so far north, but I had booked in and was anticipating Astrofest for a few months so decided not to change plans at the last minute. To my delight the CME produced a very strong aurora that was visible much further north than Sea Lake! I was a bit off my game this night with lots of Astrofest activities booked in, but I managed to capture the aurora above the towns silo art before jumping on a chartered bus to head out to Lake Tyrell. Where I captured more aurora action. I unfortunately missed the early morning display which from other peoples photos was an absolute stunner. I really need to work on my staying power for the early morning displays LOL

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